(Disclaimer: This review is written by someone who is a huge Lee Child/Jack Reacher fan. I will try and not let the bias creep in too much. Having said that, this book did not disappoint and I dare you to read it and find otherwise.)
The clock is ticking….61 hours….enough time for Reacher to become fully embroiled in another action-packed adventure….you betcha!
61 Hours is Lee Child’s latest book, the 14th for the Jack Reacher series. Reacher is an ex-military police officer who doesn’t really call anywhere home; carries very little, even opting to buy his clothes on a need-to-buy basis whilst discarding his old clothes; carries a toothbrush and passport and if possible nothing else; is strong, powerful and has quite an intelligent mind. Reacher is a man who can fix problems, more often than not, problems that don’t have anything to do with him…until he gets involved.
The latest setting Reacher finds himself in is a small town in South Dakota. Being one who often finds transport and jumps onboard, not necessarily caring where he ends up but just heading “somewhere”, Reacher manages to get a ride with a group of old age men and women on a tour bus. Not Reacher’s usual fare but never fear, this is not the opening of a novel that will proceed to describe long chats over cups of tea and games of bingo. There is a horror snowstorm on foot when the group passes through South Dakota. Unfortunately there is an accident and they are all holed up in the small town for a couple of days. Fate works in mysterious ways though as it is not unfortunate for the law abiding citizens of the town, now they have Jack Reacher at their fingertips and Andrew Peterson (town policeman) intends to ask for Reacher’s help with a few things.
Something big is going on in this small town. A little old lady is under police protection, due to stand trial as a witness to a drug deal in court. There’s a strange building out in the middle of nowhere. There’s Plato, a big man in the business of drugs, a small man in stature, a man controlling events from Mexico and this man doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process. There’s something not quite right happening, a few peculiar events here and there, a few deaths here and there, a few things that just don’t add up. Well, Jack’s back and you can bet he’ll do his damnedest to find the answers….after all, it’s bloody freezing and he needs to do something to stay warm. The clock is ticking….61 hours….will this be enough time for Reacher to be the hero we know he is?
I read 61 Hours whilst I was on holiday in Bali. Absolutely fantastic holiday read. I didn’t want to put it down; I just had to find out what was going to happen next. As always with Lee Child’s books I am engrossed from the first sentence and if you want to interrupt me whilst I’m reading you had better have a really good reason to do so. Mr Child just knows how to write to keep the reader entertained and interested. His main character Jack Reacher is a favourite of mine and Lee Child is my favourite author. What more can I say? His novels are always page-turners and once they’re finished you wish you hadn’t read so fast because now you have to wait for a new book to come out. Lucky for us 61 Hours ends with “To be continued 30/9/10” so we have two books this year! I cannot wait until the 30th of September.
If you haven’t read any Lee Child books I strongly advise you to do so, immediately, if not sooner. Be warned though, once you start you won’t be able to stop and you will be just like the rest of us hanging out for the new release every year. There should be a warning on Lee Child’s books….highly addictive!
I must say a big thank you to Alysha from Random House Australia for providing me with a copy of 61 Hours – thank you, Alysha!
To read the blurb for 61 Hours click here
Nice review. I was fortunate enough to interview Lee earlier today (by phone – he’s in the US at the moment) in advance of his various tours. Hopefully you will get a chance to see him when he is in Oz in April.
AUSTRALIA
April 6, 2010
6:30 PM
The Wheeler Centre and Readings
176 Little Lonsdale Street
Melbourne
To book: http://www.wheelercentre.com
April 7, 2010
6:30 PM
Mt. Barker Community Library
5 Dumas Street
Mt Barker
Hosted by Dymocks Rundle Mall, Adelaide
To book: +61 8 8223 5380 or email: adelaide.orders@dymocks.com.au
April 8, 2010
12:30 PM
Dymocks Sydney Literary Lunch
Four Seasons Hotel
199 George Street
Sydney
To book: +61 2 9449 4366
6:30 PM
Camden Library
Camden Civic Centre
Oxley Street
Camden
To book: +61 2 4654 7951
April 9, 2010
6:30 PM
Irish Club
175 Elizabeth Street
Brisbane
Hosted by Dymocks Brisbane City
To book: +61 7 3886 5704
Lucky you, that must have been quite an experience.
Unfortunately I’m in Western Australia and he’s not coming here 😦